THE family of Christopher Priest said they would now try to rebuild their lives without their son.

The jury heard Mockble used his car as a “lethal weapon in a dreadful act of revenge” after it had been damaged by a group of football fans who threw a pint glass at it.

Speaking outside court, Mr Priest’s dad, Lee, explained why justice for their son was so important.

He said: “At some point Mockble’s parents will get their son back which is something forever denied to us.

“At least we can say we have sought justice for Christopher.

“We can now start to try and rebuild our lives, sadly, without out son.”

The trial judge, Judge John Warner, told Mockble: “These events started with a piece of mindless violence directed in the direction of the car for no other reason than it was believed to contain opposing supporters.

“It ended with Mr Priest being mown down in the road and losing him his life.

“It has been said in court that you used your car as a weapon. It was a lethal weapon used by you in a dreadful act of revenge. All you had to do was carry on driving away. You simply could not let it go. You had to go and get your own back.

“You did this in the most disproportionate way possible.

“No sentence I can pass can equate to the loss of life that has happened here and the pain suffered by Mr Priest’s family and friends.”